Combined lock and latch.



PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

W 0. BROWN. COMBINED LOCK AND LATOH.

APPLICATION FILED DEU- 6. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WNW

Hill-"HUN WITNESSES THE NORRIS PETE-RS cm, WASHINGTON, 0

No. 884,460. I PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

i W. 0.,BROWN.

GOMBlNED LOGKA'ND LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 6. 1907.

-2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F '5. .A g

YWITNESSE'S 'INVENTOR M Am a.

THE NORRIS PETERS co. WASHINGTON, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. BROWN, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

COMBINED LOCK AND LATCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM 0. BROWN, citizen of the United States, residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Locks and Latches, of which the following is a specifica- I tion.

My invention pertains to permutation locks; and it seeks to provide an e'flicient permutation lock embodying advantageous means whereby it may be expeditiously and easily converted from a permutation lock to a latch and as readily changed back from a latch to a permutation look as occasion demands.

The invention will be fully understoodtion, showing the parts as arranged for use as a permutation lock. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken in the plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking downward. Fig. 4 is a detail elevation illustrative of the rotary tumblers and their respective spindles.

, Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken in the plane indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 2 and showing some of the parts in elevation. Fig. 6 is a View, partly in plan and partly in section, showing the bolt and its appurtenances in the positions they occupy when the bolt is in its normal, comparatively long state; the upper spring keeper on the rear member of the bolt being omitted. Fig. 7 is a view illustrative of the manner in which the bolt is manipulated to contract or shorten the same and adapt the device for use as a latch, and: Fig. 8 is a view like Fig. 6, but showing the bolt in its contracted or shortened state.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, referring to which:

A is a casing which may be of the construction shown or of any other construction compatible with the purposes of my invention. Through the said casing extends transversely a spindle B which is provided at its ends with operating knobs O and is equipped, at a point Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 6, 1907.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Serial No. 405,394.

within the casing, with a lateral arm D, for a purpose presently set forth. Also extending transversely through the casing A is a spindle E which is equipped at its ends with dials E bearing numerals on their perimeters, and is also equipped, at a point within the casing, with a rotary tumbler E having a peripheral notch a. Surrounding the spindle E, as best shown in Fig. 5, is a tubular spindle section F having at its outer end a dial F similar to the dial E, and bearing on its inner end, which is disposed within the casing A, a rotary tumbler F having a peripheral notch a. Also connected by an arm I) with the rotary tumbler F is a tubular spindle section F which is equipped at its outer end with a dial F similar to the dials before described. Surrounding the tubular spindle section F is a tubular spindle section G equipped at its outer end with a dial G similar to those before described and have ing at its inner end and within the casing A a tumbler G having a peripheral notch a, Fig. 4. Connected with the said tumbler G through an arm a, is a tubular spindle section G bearing at its outer end a dial Gr similar to the other dials described.

By virtue of the construction just set forth, it will be apparent that each of the rotary tumblers may be worked from either side of the lock; and it will also be apparent that when certain numerals on the erimeters of the dials at either side of the ock are brought into alinement with a mark or roj ection d on the casing A, the notches a o the several rotary tumblers will be registered to permit of retraction of the bolt presently described. It will further be noted in this connection that when, subsequent to the operation just described, any one oft-he tumblers is turned to carry its notch a out of alinement with the other notches a, the bolt cannot be retracted except when the device is changed from a ermutation lock to a latch in the manner hereinafter specifically set forth.

The bolt of my improved device is movable in the usual manner through an opening e in the forward end wall of the casing A, and is made up of a forward member H having a rearwardly extending stem I, a rear member ter osed between the bottom of said socket and the rear side of the forward member H, a bar N fixed with respect to and extending rearward from the member H and arranged alongside the rear member J and terminating at its rear end in lateral toes or arms P which straddle the tongue K, and spring keepers R which are connected at their forward ends to the upper and lower sides of the member J and are provided adjacent to their rear ends with portions S, preferably of the shape shown, for cooperation with the tumblers E F and G and the arms P of the bar N.

Interposed between and connected with the rear member J of the bolt and the forward end wall of the casing A are two (more or less) tractile springs T which are stronger than the coiled spring M, by preference, and are so arranged that they are put under tension by retraction of the rear bolt member J with the result that when the said member J is released they will move the bolt forward.

Suitably connected to the rear member J of the bolt is a rearwardly extending connec tion U which is engaged by the arm D on the knob spindle B. The said arm D has but to draw the connection U rearward in order to retract the bolt, and therefore the connection U and the arm D may be so arranged that when the spindle B is turned in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. 7, the arm D may pass out of engagement with the connection U. When this arrangement is resorted to it is desirable to provide some means for retracting the bolt on rotation of the spindle B in the direction indicated by the arrow, and to such end I provide the swinging piece V which is pivoted to the casing A and has an arm m connected to and movable with the connection U, and another arm p which serves for the engagement of the arm D for the purpose stated.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings my novel lock is shown for use as a permutation lock, and it will be apparent that when the dials are relatively arranged to register the notches in the tumblers, and the knob spindle B is turned to retract the bolt, the tongue K entering the registered notches a, and the spring keepers R spreading on the perimeters of the tumblers, Fig. 7, will permit such retraction of the bolt. It will also be apparent that when the knob spindle B is released, the springs T will operate to return the bolt from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 2. It will further be apparent that when any one of the dials is turned to carry the notch a of its complementary tumbler out of alinement with the other notches a, the combination will be broken and retraction or rearward movement of the bolt will be precluded.

When note is made of the fact that the forward member H of the bolt is movable with respect to the rear member J thereof, and that the bar N moves with the member H,

and the tongue K and the spring keepers R are carried by the rear member J, it is believed that the manner of converting my novel device from a permutation lock to a latch and vice versa will be readily appreciated. In the first place such change can be made only when the notches a are registered, and from this it follows that the change can be effected only when-the combination is properly worked out. Therefore, a change in the device from a permutation lock to a latch, requires first that the notches a be registered. Then the operator manipulates the knob B to retract the bolt and spread the keepers R and dispose the tongue K in the notches (L. Then, While retaining the keepers R and the tongue K in said positions with one hand, the operator with a finger of the other hand presses the member H rearward to move said member H from the position shown in Fig. 6, relative to the member J, to the position shown in Fig. 8. The operator then, while still holding the member H in the position shown in Fig. 8, relative to the member J, permits the springs T to move the bolt as a whole forward, and when this is done, it will be seen that the inward projections of the keeper ortions S will assume positions in front 0 the arms P on the bar N, with the result that the member H will be fastened in the position shown in Fig. 8, relative to the member J, and the bolt for the time being is made com aratively short. Now this short bolt may 6 retracted to the extent desired independent of the rotary tumblers, and hence it follows that my improved device may be used as a latch when the notches a are registered, and also when said notches are not registered. It is desirable, however, for obvious reasons, to move one or more of the dials and break the combination after the device is changed from a permutation lock to a latch. Then when it is desired to change the device from a latch back into a permutation lock it is first necessary to work the combination to register the several notches a. Then the spindle B is turned to retract the bolt, whereupon the tongue K will enter the notches a and the spring keepers R will be spread apart by the rotary tumblers, with the result that said keepers R will release the bar N and enable the spring M to move the member H to the position shown in Fig. 6, relative to the member J. Then when the spindle B is released, and the spring T returns the bolt and its appurtenances to the position shown in Fig. 2, the inward projections of the keeper portions S will assume positions in rear of the arms P on bar N. Then when the combination is broken and it is attempted to retract the bolt, such manipulation will be frustrated by the tongue K bringing up against the perimeter or perimeters of one or more of the rotary tumblers.

In addition to the practical advantages stitutes the best practical embodiment of my invention known to me, but it is obvious that in the future practice of the invention such changes or modifications may be made as fairly fall within the scope of my invention,

as defined in the claims appended.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. The combination in a lock, of a casing, a bolt, means for retracting the bolt, a spindle extending transversely through the casing and having dials disposed without the casing and a notched tumbler disposed within the casing, a tubular spindle section surrounding the first mentioned spindle and having a notched tumbler within the casing and a dial without said casing, and a second spindle section surrounding the first mentioned spindle section and having a dial without the casing and also having an arm within the casing, through the medium of which it is connected with the tumbler on the first mentioned spindle section.

2. In a combined permutation lock and latch, the combination of a casing, tumblers arranged in the casing and having notches adapted on movement of the tumblers to be moved into and out of register with each other, a bolt capable of being diminished and increased in length; the retraction of said bolt when the same is in its comparatively long state, being controlled by the tumblers, and means for moving the bolt.

In a combined permutation lock and latch, the combination of a casing, tumblers arranged in the casing and having notches adapted on movement of the tumblers to be moved into and out of register with each other, a bolt having a forward member and a rear member, one of which is movable with respect to the other, and also having cooperating devices on said members for holding the forward member against forward movement with respect to the rear member; one of said devices being arranged to cooperate with one of the tumblers, and means for moving the bolt.

4. In a combined permutation lock and latch, the combination of a casing, tumblers arranged in the casing and having notches arranged on movement of the tumblers to be moved into and out of register with each other, a bolt comprising a rear member, a forward member movable fore and aft with respect to the rear member, a spring interposed between said members, and cooperating devices on the members for detachably holding the forward member against forward movement with respect to the rear member; one of said devices being arranged to cooperate with a tumbler, and means for moving the bolt.

In a combined permutation lock and latch, the combination of a casing, tumblers arranged in the casing and having notches arranged on movement of the tumblers to be moved into and out of register with each other, a bolt comprising a rear member having a spring keeper on which is a portion arranged to be moved outward on rearward movement of the bolt by one or more of the tumblers, and a forward member movable fore and aftwith respect to the rear member and having a portion arranged on rearward movement of the forward member with respect to the rear member to assume a position in rear of and be detachably held by the keeper on the rear member, and means for moving the bolt.

6. In a combined permutation lock and latch, the combination of a casing, tumblers arranged in the casing and having notches arranged on movement of the tumblers to be moved into and-out of register with each other, a bolt comprising a rear member having a spring keeper on which is a portion arranged on rearward movement of the bolt to be moved outward by one or more of the tumblers, a forward member movable fore and aft with respect to the rear member and having a portion arranged on rearward movement of the forward member with respect to the rear member to assume a position in rear of and be detachably held by the keeper on the rear member, and a spring interposed between the forward and rear members, and means for moving the bolt.

7. In a combined lock and latch, the combination of a casing, a bolt capable of being diminished and increased in length, locking means for preventing retraction of said bolt when the same is in its comparatively long state, and means for moving the bolt.

8. In a combined lock and latch, the combination of a casing, a bolt having a forward a latch, the combination of a casing, tumblers arranged in the casing and having notches arranged on movement of the tumblers to be moved into and out of register with each other, a bolt comprising a forward member, a rear member, a spring interposed between said members, a bar fixed to and extending rearward from the forward member and having a toe, a spring keeper carried by the rear member and arranged to cooperate with said toe and also with one or more of the tumblers, a spring for moving the rear member of the bolt forward, and means connected with said rear member for retracting the bolt.

10. In a combined permutation lock and latch, the combination of a casing, tumblers arranged in the casing and having notches arranged on movement of the tumblers to be moved into and out of register with each other, a bolt comprising a forward member, a rear. member having a tongue at its rear end arranged to enter the registered notches of the tumblers, a bar fixed to and extending rearward from the forward member and having inwardly directed toes straddling said tongue, a spring interposed between the members, spring keepers carried by the rear member above and below the same and arranged to cooperate with said toes and also with one or more of the tumblers, a spring for moving the rear member of the bolt forward, and means connected with said rear member for retracting the bolt.

11. In a combined permutation lock and latch, the combination of a casing, a spindle mounted in the casing and provided with a knob, tumblers arranged in'the casing and having notches arranged on movement of the tumblers to be moved into and out of register with each other, a bolt comprising a forward member, a rear member having a tongue at its rear end arranged to enter the registered notches of the tumblers, a bar fixed to and extending rearward from the forward member and having inwardly directed toes straddling said tongue, a spring interposed between the members, spring keepers carried by the rear member above and below the same and arranged to cooperate with said toes and also with one or more of the tumblers, springs connecting the rear member of the bolt and the casing, and a connection between the rear member of the bolt and the spindle, whereby the spindle is enabled to retract the bolt.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM 0. BROWN.

Witnesses:

ROBERT E. DIAL, LOAMI L. LAKE. 

